14 Comments
Aug 18, 2023Liked by Max Read

Elon's choice of the new X icon is perfectly evocative of his shitty edgelord persona circa 2006

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I clicked on the logo but the window didn't close. What gives?

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Aug 22, 2023Liked by Max Read

"Rich Men ..." blew up discussion on economist Noah Smith's Noahpinion Substack ( noahpinion.blog ). I'm in the camp to give the song a hard pass. It's the worst message delivered by the worst messenger.

The Twitter thread got it right; the song is an op.

I hate the song for the same reasons Todd in the Shadows hated Aaron Lewis's "Am I the Only One" and David Cross hates Larry the Cable guy. In order to hate the politics of a text, you must first hate the creator. And Messrs. Shadows and Cross show the art of the diss.

Todd in the Shadows reviews "Am I the Only One": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxj-H72wmeM

David Cross' open letter to Larry the Cable Guy (1 of 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDimQTJMjB0 (2 of 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHWF0IBZ6xM

They show the glaring defects in the art of their targets, without directly taking on the politics.

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Hilarious black rifle coffee comment. Though I disagree on Musk’s lack of taste. When you look at all his company logos in a line they look very intentional and cohesive. They look like an alien language or runes. Though the X is super similar to Xfinity’s logo.

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Bluesky’s biggest issue - at least, the biggest issue that most of us get to see - is that it still excludes most people from joining. In practical terms this seems sensible, but it also means that even positive reviews of it can be irritating to those who have been on the waiting list for months.

I also don’t know, once Bluesky changes from a party to which only a select few have been invited to one which welcomes the masses, whether it will lose its appeal to that select few who are currently enjoying it.

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author

I have an invite code! Email me (maxread@gmail.com) and I'll pass it on

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Musk has no taste, no elan, no sense of style. You nailed it!

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There's another Twitter clone

It's called Substack Notes

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You have no thoughts on the Block deletion because you're not a person who has been harassed and attacked on Twitter, unlike thousands of others who have. The inability to block someone from coming into your replies and calling you hideous names, attempting to doxx you, or otherwise making your life a living hell will most certainly drive MANY off Twitter for good. This is unfortunate for the communities that have formed there, including people suffering from diseases like Long Covid, vulnerable members of marginalized groups, and just nice folks who might be a little different but don't want to be called pussies by Nazis. Oh, and if you're thinking "gee, just report these meanies to old Elon and he'll take care of it," well, I mean, you're not thinking that really, are you??

So, yeah, kind of a big deal. But maybe not funny, so not really in keeping with the tone of the piece. I get it. No worries.

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author

Please don't assume that I've never been harassed and attacked on Twitter. I don't have any thoughts on "Elon offhandedly claims he's going to end blocks" because I don't think it will ever be implemented and "I'm going to delete the block function" seems like exactly the kind of reaction-generating attention bait that Elon thrives on.

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Excellent point! I probably overreacted in the moment and I'm sorry I did so. The whole Elon saga has been so bizarre and sad, especially considering how promising Twitter looked 9 or 10 years ago when it was breaking stories daily that the mainstream was ignoring. I still think the platform can survive, I'm just disheartened at where it's going. Thanks for the reply.

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Social media is winner takes most. It's hard to build something niche

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